Display bracket with living hinge

Abstract

An information display bracket is disclosed having a base portion for securing the information display bracket to the base of a product display bracket. An elongated arm extending over the product display bracket is pivotally secured to the base of the information display bracket at a proximal end by a living hinge and an information display plate is provided at a distal end extending past the end of the product display bracket.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a product display system wherein a support panel has a front surface and a back surface and a plurality of spaced-part mounting holes extending therethrough and wherein product support brackets are mountable on said support panel in order to hold products thereon for display, each said product support bracket including a mounting base to be positioned adjacent said front surface, at least one prong adapted to extend through a selected mounting hole and operative to mount said mounting base to said support panel in a mounted state and a product support arm connected to said mounting base and extending forwardly of said front surface, said product support arm terminating in a free end when said product support bracket is in the mounted state whereby products may be received and supported for display on said product support bracket, the improvement comprising an information display bracket adapted to be fastened relative to said support panel and said product support bracket when said product support bracket is in the mounted state, said imformation display bracket including a base member formed with a selected first thickness adapted to be positioned proximate said mounting base, fastening means for fastening said base member in a fastened state relative to said support panel and said mounting base, a display arm formed with a selected second thickness and having a proximal end and a distal end, a living hinge structure formed with a selected third thickness less than both the first and second thicknesses, said living hinge structure interconnecting said base member and the proximate end of said display arm whereby said display arm may freely pivot with respect to said base member, and an information display plate at the distal end of said display arm, said display arm extending forwardly of said front surface in the fastened state. 
     
     
       2. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said base member has a flat upper base section having said first thickness and defining an upper edge and wherein said proximal end of said display arm is formed as a flat proximal arm section having said second thickness and defining a proximal edge, said hinge structure interconnecting said upper base section and said proximal are section respectively along said upper and proximal edges. 
     
     
       3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein said display arm includes a rod-like central arm having a proximal rod end connected to said proximal arm section, said proximal arm section having proximal arm section side edges which diverge from one another in a direction from said proximal rod end to said proximal edge whereby said proximal arm section is triangular in configuration said rod having a rod diameter greater than said second thickness. 
     
     
       4. The improvement according to claim 3 including reinforcing ribs extending longitudinally of said central arm at equiangular spaced circumferential locations therearound. 
     
     
       5. The improvement according to claim 3 wherein said display arm include said distal end of said display arm is formed as a flat distal arm section connected to a distal rod end of said central arm, said distal arm section having distal arm section side edges diverging from one another from said distal rod end to said distal end whereby said distal arm section is triangular in configuration to define a strike plate, said display arm sized so that said information display plate is positioned forwardly of said free end with said strike plate resting on said free end. 
     
     
       6. The improvement according to claim 5 wherein said distal arm section includes a pair of downwardly depending wings defining a cavity operative to receive said free end, each of said wings having a lower wing edge which extends longitudinally at an acute angle from said distal rod end to an information plate lower edge. 
     
     
       7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein said pair of wings laterally diverge from one another whereby the cavity has a pyramidal configuration. 
     
     
       8. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said mounting base of said product support bracket includes a crossbar from which rearwardly projects a pair of spaced-apart prongs adapted to extend through a spaced-pair of mounting holes in said support panel so that said crossbar is positioned forwardly of said front surface in the mounted state, said base member having a lower base section having lower base section side edges and adapted to be interposed between said front surface and said crossbar, said fastening means including a first pair of lateral cut-outs operative to engage said prongs on opposite sides of said base member. 
     
     
       9. The improvement according to claim 8 wherein said lower base section includes a pair of spaced-apart webs extending forwardly of said base member and operative to abut against said crossbar to move said crossbar away from the front surface of said support panel. 
     
     
       10. The improvement according to claim 9 wherein each of said webs has a lower edge inclinded with respect to said lower base section whereby said crossbar will be progressively moved away from the front surface of said support panel when said base member is progressively interposed therebetween. 
     
     
       11. The improvement according to claim 8 wherein said lower base section has a slot extending parallel to and intermediately of said lower base section side edges whereby said lower base section is formed into two parallel legs. 
     
     
       12. The improvement according to claim 11 wherein said product support arm has a foot portion depending downwardly at a proximal location to said mounting base such that said foot portion is located between said crossbar and the front surface of said support panel when said product support bracket is in the mounted state, the slot in said lower base section being sized to receive said foot portion when said information display bracket is in the fastened state. 
     
     
       13. The improvement according to claim 8 wherein said fastening means includes a plurality of pairs of lateral cut-outs along the lower base section side edges whereby said base member may be adjustably positioned with respect to said mounting base. 
     
     
       14. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said mounting base comprises a mounting plate adapted to be positioned against the front surface of said support panel, said mounting plate including a plurality of rearewardly extending prongs having downwardly turned fingers operative to extend through selected ones of the mounting holes, said base member including a base plate sized to overlay said mounting base in abutting relation thereto, said base plate having a pair of side edges and a lower section separated into two downwardly depending legs by a slot intermediate of the side edges, the slot being sized to engage said product support arm, said fastening means including mounting ears located on said side edges and including lobes operative to engage selected ones of the mounting holes. 
     
     
       15. The improvement according to claim 14 wherein each of said mounting ears is hingedly connected to its respective side edge. 
     
     
       16. The improvement according to claim 14 wherein said mounting plate has a conical portion extending forwardly thereof to an apex, said product support arm extending forwardly from said apex, said base plate having a complementary concavity sized to and located to receive said conical portion. 
     
     
       17. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said information display plate includes a forwardly extending lip formed along a lower edge thereof. 
     
     
       18. An information display bracket adapted to be used in conjunction with a product support bracket having a product support arm and a mounting base for mounting on a support panel having a plurality of mounting holes extending therethrough, said mounting base having a crossbar terminating in a pair of rearwardly projecting prongs sized and positioned to extend through respective mounting holes in said support panel so that said product support arm extends forwardly of said support panel to terminate in a free end when in the mounted state, said information display bracket comprising: a base member having an upper base section having a first thickness and a lower base section sized to be inserted between said crossbar and said support panel when said product support bracket is in the mounted state and including fastening means on lower side edges thereof operative to engage said prongs on either side of said lower base section;   a display arm having a central rod portion including a distal end and a proximal end pivotally attached to said upper base section having a second thickness by a living hinge selectively formed of a thickness less than that of the first and second thicknesses and operative to permit relative pivotal movement of said display arm with respect to said base member such that said display arm may pivot in a vertical plane containing said product support arm in such manner that mechanical fatigue between said base member and said display arm is reduced; and an information display plate attached to the distal end of said display arm, said display arm sized such that said information display plate is positioned forwardly of the free end of said product support arm.   
     
     
       19. An information display bracket in accordance with claim 18 wherein said lower base section has a slot intermediate to said lower base section side edges to form a pair of parallel legs, said fastening means including lateral cutouts adapted to engage said prongs whereby the slot is adapted to be squeezed together to snap-fit the lateral cutouts onto and off of said base member. 
     
     
       20. An information display bracket in accordance with claim 19 including a plurality of pairs of cut-outs on the side edges of said lower base section whereby said base member may be adjustably positioned with respect to said mounting base. 
     
     
       21. An information display bracket in accordance with claim 18 wherein said lower base section includes at least one web that projects forwardly of said base member to bear against said crossbar thereby to positively position said base member relative to said support panel and said mounting base. 
     
     
       22. An information display bracket in accordance with claim 18 wherein said proximal end is formed as a first flat triangular proximal arm section with divergent side edges connected to said base member and connected oppositely to said proximal rod end and wherein said distal end is formed as a second flat triangular distal arm section connected to said information display plate and connected oppositely to said distal rod end. 
     
     
       23. An information display bracket in accordance with claim 18 wherein said central rod portion has a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing ribs equidistantly spaced therearound whereby the lateral movement of the display arm is restricted. 
     
     
       24. An information display bracket in accordance with claim 18 including a living hinge structure pivotally interconnecting said base member and said display arm.